A district court in Jabalpur has ordered the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against the cruise boat pilot and other individuals involved in the Bargi Dam tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of 13 people. The court took suo motu cognisance of the incident and observed prima facie negligence on the part of the operator.
Court's Observations
The court noted that the cruise operator, who was aware of the situation, exited the vessel safely but made no effort to rescue other passengers, effectively leaving them to die. The court directed that an FIR be lodged under Sections 106 (causing death by negligence) and 110 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The court emphasised that if such incidents are not investigated, similar tragedies could occur in the future, where operators might abandon passengers during emergencies. It also appreciated the efforts of individuals who attempted to rescue the victims.
Search Operations Concluded
The Jabalpur district administration confirmed that search operations ended on Sunday after two more bodies were recovered, bringing the death toll to 13. All missing persons have been accounted for, and the bodies have been sent to a government hospital for postmortem.
Government Response
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
